New York City Marathon canceled as city still reels from Hurricane Sandy's impact

Workers assemble the finish line for the New York City Marathon in New York's Central Park, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. The crane atop a high rise that collapsed during superstorm Sandy is visible at background left. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)Workers assemble the finish line for the New York City Marathon in New York's Central Park, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. The New York City Marathon is on Sunday, with many logistical questions to be answered. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg says New York City Marathon is canceled.

Bloomberg came under fire Friday for pressing ahead with this weekend's New York Marathon in a city still reeling from Superstorm Sandy. Some New Yorkers said holding the 26.2-mile race would be insensitive and divert police and other important resources when many are still suffering.

Joan Wacks, whose Staten Island waterfront condo was swamped with 4 feet of water, predicted authorities will still be recovering bodies when the estimated 40,000 runners from around the world hit the streets Sunday, and she called the mayor "tone deaf."

"He is clueless without a paddle to the reality of what everyone else is dealing with," she said. "If there are any resources being put toward the marathon, that's wrong. I'm sorry, that's wrong." She added: "We totally understand the public relations aspect, to show everyone survived. But this is not one of those times."

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Earlier this week Bloomberg defended his decision to press ahead with the marathon: "It's a great event for New York, and I think for those who were lost, you've got to believe they would want us to have an economy and have a city go on for those that they left behind." But, by Friday evening, he had changed his tune.

In a statement issued to the press Friday, he said "it is clear that it has become the source of controversy and division." He maintained that the race would not have diverted resources from the Sandy recovery effort, but said "We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it. We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event - even one as meaningful as this - to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track"

One of the world's pre-eminent road races, the New York Marathon generates an estimated $340 million into the city.